Hillsborough inquests - July 7

The Hillsborough inquests commenced on March 31, 2014 and are the subject of reporting restrictions that have been imposed by the Attorney General's office. Liverpool Football Club is respectful of these restrictions and will therefore only be making available updates from other media channels for the duration of the inquest.

The report below - and the witness testimony contained within it - does not necessarily reflect the views of Liverpool FC. Please be aware that the reports on these pages will contain evidence about the day of the disaster which may be distressing.

To view archive reports from each day of the inquest hearings, click here.

Courtesy of the Liverpool Echo - July 7

The dad of a Hillsborough victim identified his picture to police after the disaster - but was told by officers it wasn't his son.

The inquests into the 96 deaths heard 23-year-old William Roy Pemberton, known as Roy, had been taken to the gymnasium at some time before 4pm, after he was carried across the pitch on a hoarding.

But, despite police officers recovering an identity card from his body once he was in the gym, his dad, William Ewart Pemberton, had to wait until midnight to find out what had happened to his son.

The court heard Mr Pemberton had travelled with Roy, a student at Leicester University, to the semi-final on April 15, 1989, from their home in Hunts Cross.

The pair had travelled on a coach together and after arriving in Sheffield Mr Pemberton, who had bought his son's ticket but did not have one himself, waited for Roy to return.

Counsel to the inquests Matthew Hill said: "During the match, Mr Pemberton remained on the coach on which he and Roy had travelled to Sheffield.

"As others returned from the stadium and the facts relating to the disaster emerged, Mr Pemberton left the coach to search for his son."

Mr Pemberton spoke to a police officer at the ground to give a description of his son, but was then sent to Hammerton Road police station before going on to the boys' club in Sheffield to wait for information.

Mr Pemberton, who was met by his daughter and son-in-law, later returned to the ground and was asked to look at photos to see if he could recognise Roy.

He said in a statement that he had identified two pictures which could potentially be of his son.

Mr Hill told the court: "One of the photographs was in fact Roy. However Mr Pemberton was told that neither of the people, shown in the two photographs was his son.

"Sometime later an officer came and asked if he was, and I quote, 'Pemberton'.

"As we have heard Roy had been carrying identification that day.

"When Mr Pemberton confirmed the family name, he was informed that Roy had been found."

Mr Pemberton identified his son's body at about 12am.

The inquests, in Birchwood Park, Warrington, sat for less than an hour to hear evidence about Roy.

The jury was shown a photo of him in pen four of the Leppings Lane terrace at 2.45pm on the day, but was told there was no evidence about his entry to the stadium.

Footage from 3.30pm showed him being carried across the pitch on a hoarding.

Robert Fox, who was a detective constable in 1989, identified himself on photos as one of those helping to carry Roy on the advertising board.

He said in a statement: "I remember finding Mr Pemberton lying on the pitch on the left of the goal as you look from the pitch towards Leppings Lane.

"There was no one with Mr Pemberton and I was assisted by unknown fans to place him on advertising hoardings.

"He appeared to be dead.

"I am not sure if I tried to resuscitate him."

Liverpool FC fan Gareth O'Leary said he escaped from the pens in the crush and was trying to find for his sister on the pitch, but while looking for her helped to carry Roy.

He said he assumed Roy was dead because his face was covered with a black coat.

He told the court he did not see anyone attempt to assess or treat Roy and said he was left on the ground in the passageway between the North Stand and the Spion Kop.

Carl Wilkinson, who was on duty as a PC on the day of the disaster, told the court he found Roy lying on a hoarding outside the entrance to the gymnasium, with his face uncovered.

He told the court he saw no signs of life.

He said: "I noticed that he wasn't breathing. He was, his complexion had a grey tinge to it and he had blue lips and he had no pulse."

Mr Wilkinson said he helped to carry Roy into the gymnasium and stayed with him.

He said he recovered a medical identity card from him and passed it on to other officers.

He was with Roy when he was confirmed dead at about 4pm and stayed with him until he was taken to be identified by his dad.